LEUKAEMIA sufferer Mick Baines cried tears of joy as doctors began injecting him with the bone marrow which could save his life.

Mick of Bolton Road, Abbey Village, underwent the crucial bone marrow transplant at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, on Friday with his wife Julia by his side.

Mick, 41, had been waiting three years for the life-saving transplant since he was diagnosed with the disease.

And doctors eventually found a matching donor in America and flew the bone marrow Mick desperately needed to Manchester.

Mick said: "I am truly glad that this part of the procedure has gone well, but I still have a long way to go. I am treating this day as the first day of the rest of my life."

Wife Julia added: "It was so emotional on Friday when they brought that bag of bone marrow into Mick's hospital room.

"When they do the transplant, it is just like having a blood transfusion, and we couldn't believe that that little bag of bone marrow could save his life. "When it happened the doctor had to stay in the room with us in case Mick had a reaction. All of a sudden Mick burst into tears and I thought something had gone wrong, but he was just so happy and relieved that it was finally happening."

Now Mick and Julia and their son, Andrew, face weeks in the hospital where Mick is in isolation because his immune system is so low.

Julia has been staying on a camp bed in his room, and will now spend every day with Mick as he has drugs pumped into his body and builds his strength back up.

Julia said: "He is very tired. His body has been through so much and he just wants to sleep all the time.

"The doctors have told us he will go downhill before he gets better, but that is perfectly normal.

"The next two to three weeks are crucial because he is now very susceptible to infection, but he is stable."

Ever since Mick found out he had leukaemia he has been fundraising for research into the disease.

He said: "I just want to thank everyone who has supported me and helped me to get this far."